Combination-lock



R. W. GRIFFITH.

COMBINATION LOCK. APPLICATION FILED AuG.4,'1919.

1,353,583. en e ep 21,1920.

' ,FIG., Z

2 SHEETSSHEET WITNESSES lNvENTOQ R. W. GRIFFITH.

COMBINATION LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-4. 1919.

1,358,583, Patentedsept. 21,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FIG. 5

WITNESSES entree stares earner as RAYMOND wearrrrrn. or MILVTAUKEE,Wisconsin.

COMBINATION-LOCK.

T0 aZZ whom i may concern:

Be it known that I, RAYMOND GRIF-' rrrir a citizen of the United States,and

resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Mil- 'waukee and State ofWVisconsin, have 1nvented new and useful Improvements inCombination-Locks, of which the'following is a description, referencebeing had-to the accompanying drawings, which are apart of thisspecification.

' The invention relates to combinatlon locks. One of the ObIGCtS O Ithis inventlon is to produce a'lock in which it is necessary to turn oneor more tumblers to a predetermined position before'the lock can beoperated but in which it is not possible for one to get the feel of thetumblersdue toanother interlocking connection.

The invention further consists in the several features hereinafter setforth'and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.r 7

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through thedevice embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation.

view thereof.v parts being broken away; Fig. 3 is a top view of thedevice; Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line l--4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 isa section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a top view of thekey ring; Fig. 7

is a section taken through the core on the line 7-Z of Fig. 1; Fig.Stisv a section through the core taken on the line 8-+'8 of Fig.1; Fig.9 washer. s i

In general the lock consists of two memhere 10 and 11, having relativerotary move ment with respect to each other and adapted to beinterlocked against longitudinal movement withrespect to each otherexcept f 111 apredetermined posltion andone or more tumblers12 whichprevent the; longitudinal movement of said members with respect to eachother exceptv sitiona The member 10 is here shown as the fixed elementof thelock, being made up. of two complementary, semi-cylindrical,hollow sec- 1 tions secured together byscrews and hav- 1 ing flangeportions '14 to -which an outer casing 14 is secured. This member.isprovided with annular grooves 15 in-which circular disks forming thetumblers12are mounted and f ree to bewturned therein, though preferablynormally held against isa detail view of the thrust grooves 32 arebrought into register with the in a predetermined 130? turning movementby springs '16 seated in I Specification of Letters Patent. P tentedSept. 21,1920.

Application filed August 4, 1919. Serial No. 315,207.

and guide disk 19 is mounted. This member 1 has a cap 20 tightlyfittingthereon and Iormmg what Wlll be termed a key. ring provided withan inwardly projecting flange portion extending over thetop end of thebore 21 and having a plurality of notches 22 formed by notching said.flange portion. The member 11 is here shown as the movable element ofthe lock and consists of a cylindrical portion or shank 23 provided witha key 24, a cylindrical portion or core 25 of. larger diameter than theportion 23, a stem 26 and a handle or knob 27. 'A cylindrical cover28and a member 29 having 10- f eating spring fingers 301 are mounted onthe stem, I being held in position by a coiled spring 31 0n the .steminterposed between the member 29 and theportion 25. The core 2o isprovided with a plurality oflongitudmally extending grooves 32 ofunequalplacing and which are adapted to be brought into register with theprojections 22 on the" key ring so that the member 11 may be 1 -movedlongitudinally of the member 10.

Said member 11 also has short grooves or shallow pockets 33' in its topwhich permit a slight longitudinal movement of the member with respectto the'member 10 but prevent actuation of the lock and serve as 7 blindsto prevent picking the look as they do not permit the movement of theupper end of the member ll-through the key ring and this can only beaccomplished when the proper projections on the key ring. Thus while themember 11 may be turned; with respect to the member 10, said members areinterlocked against relative cient for unlocking until said members arebrought to a predetermined position.

thenumber ofpossible combinations of the lock is greatly increased byusing two or more tumblers and two pins on each turnbler I longitudinalmovement with respect to each other sufiiv one tumbler may be used witha single pin,

The thrust washer 19 is provided with a keyway 38 in which the key 2stslides and a notch 89 to permit one or more of radially disposed pins 40on the portion 23 to pass through said washer. This washer 19 limits Ithe inward movement of the member ii and serves as a guide disk turningwith the shank 23. These pins 4:0 also cooperate with the pins and 35 soas to rotate the tumblers to a predetermined position to set thetumblers so that the pins 40 may pass through the notches 37 to permitthe desired longitudinal movement of the member 11 with respect to themember 10.

When pins are used on both sides of the disk it is necessary to providea limited longitudinal movement of the member 11 with respect to themember 10 and this is accommodated by making the length of the bore 21in which the core 25 is mounted longer than said portion and when member11 reaches the end of this limited movement the spring lingers 30 engagein recesses 44 in the outside of the member 10, the sides 42 of saidmember adjacent the recesses being flat so that'the flat springs engagethem as the member 11 is turned. the finger or fingers 30' to'thegrooves 32 is such as to locate the grooves in the same positioncircumierentially as are the projections 22 of the key ring 20 when saidfinger or fingers is or are engaging the fiat sides or seats 42 of themember 11.

In order to completely disconnect or separate the members 10 and ll.when desired, the core 25 of the member 11 has a transverse slot 1-3formed therein and longitudinal slots 44 communicating with said. slot43 and arranged and spaced similar to the grooves 32 but out of linetherewith. Thus when the member 11 is unlocked and moved lengthwiseuntil the projections on the key ring reach the .end. of the grooves 32,then a slight turning oi? the member 11 brings the teeth or" said ringinto register with the slots 4:4: and then further lengthwise movem ntof the member 11 permits a withdrawal of the member 11 from the member10.

The device may be mounted in any suitable manner and T have here shownthe casing 14' provided with a flange 45 and one or more clamps as theclamp d6 in Fig. 1 is or are connected to the bolt or bolts t'l' so thatthe supporting plate 18 may be clamped between the flange 4:5 and theclamp 15 or several similar clamps. The lower end of the member 10 isprovided with a cap 49 secured to it by a removable pin 50. V

Fig. 1 of the drawing shows the look as the parts would appear in lockedposition. When in unlocked position the member 11 with its parts hasbeen moved to bring the projections 22- ot the key ring 20 at the endsof the grooves The core 25 a the memher 11 is free to slide and rotateso long as The relation of it is within theconiines oi the disk 19 andthe key ring 20 and has within this space a small amount of longitudinaltravel in proportion to the amount available when said lock is in theunlocked position. This limited movement is provided so as to permit theshifting of the pins ll) on the shank 3 into engagement with theditl'erent pins 73 i and on the tumblers. lit a single tumbler and pinis used this movement is not necessary. The core 25 when moved to apositionto bring the grooves 32 in line with the proper projections onthe key ring may be moved. longitudinally to unlocked position providedthe other parts of the lock, that is: the tumblers 12 and the positionof the pins 4 0 with respect thereto, are in a position to allow it.

In rotating the core 25 the pins 40 engage the pins 34: or 35 in thedisks or tumblers 12 which in turn rotate with it. When the core 25 isadjacent the guide disk l9 the pins d0 engage the pins 34 or the pinswhich extend toward said disk. When the core 25 is moved away from thedisk 19 the pins 4-0 engage the pins 35 or those pins extending awayfrom said disk. Thus the disks be rotated by the pins extending fromeither side as may be necessary for the correct operation of the lock.The pins on' the tumblers are so located that only one on each tumblercan possibly place the slot in said tumbler in correct position topermit passage of the pin on the shank 23 therethrough. After thetumblers have been set, then a partial turn of the member 11 to theproper position for sliding movement of the core in the key ring putsthe parts in a position to be unlocked. The key ring prevents settingthe tumblers by feeling for the notches therein.

The handle 27 has a notch 51 therein to assist in setting thecombination. The lock above described may be used in connection with anypart to be held against actuation until the longitudinal movement of themovable element has been efl'ected.

To unlock the lock, the operator gives the handle 27 complete turn, thuspicking up all the tumblers, and stops with the notch 51 in apredetermined position. He then rotates the member 11 so that pin 40striking pin 34 on the lower tumbler 12 carries said tumbler around tothe predetermined position, which is known to him by the position of thenotch 51, and by a reverse rotation of the member 11 the upper tumbler12 in a similar manner is given a predetermined position by the movementof the pin 40 against the pin 34. Thus both tumblers have been given apreliminary setting. The operator then draws up on the member 11 untilthe fingers 30 engage in the notches 41 at which time the pins on thetumblers come into the path of the pins 40 on the shank 23 when saidmember 11 is rotated. The operator then;.turns member 11 until the pin'40 engaging the pin 35 on the lower, tumbler has turned it from-fitspreliminary setting to unlocked; position, andby a ref verse rotation ofthe member ll thev upper tumbler 12..is similarly moved from its pre- 1'llmlnary setting to unlocking position. r

. 'so'as to bring .thegrooves .32 intojposition (and the projections2.2;through the grooves-v elementxll as being the-movable member it;

ing free to rotate with respect to the other After the tumblershavebeenmoved inthis manner a partial turn-of the member 11,

to pass throughthe keyring 22, permits the member ll to be -movedlongitudinally to unlocked position, that is,--the pins 40 may passthrough the, slots 37; in the tumblers 12,

32, this extended longitudinal movement of the member 11beingfus'edtounlock any; parts to which :the above: device may be', l

4; Ina combinationlock,:thecombination of a pair of elementsrelativelymovable with connected; I x j Ll/Vhile I hare shown and 5described; 1 the will be understood thatlthe' memberlO can be made themovable element'and be pro? vided with suitable means such as the pins40 for turning the tumblers with respect to the fixedelement and thatthe key ring may then be mounted on the member 11 and cooperate withgrooves in" the member 10 similar to the grooves 32; in other words, theposition oftheparts maybe reversed so that the element 11 becomes thefixed element and element 10 the movable elementl 'Iam also aware thatother changes lIl'JCOIlStIIlCtlOIlmay be effected within the spiritofthe invention and I therefore desire it tolbe understood thatthis'invention is not limited to any specific form or arrangement ofparts except in so far as such limitations are specilie-" in the claims.

What I claim as myinvention is:

1. In a combination lock, the combination of two elements relativelyrotatable witherespect to each other. andhaving an 'interlockingconnection to prevent, longitudinal movement of the elementswith respectto each other except in a predetermined position, and a third elementfreely rotatable with respect to the first named elements and adapted tobe turned by one of them and preventing the, longitudinal movement ofsaid elements with respect to each other to unlocked position except ina predetermined position.

2. In a combination lock, the combination of two elements relativelyrotatable with respect to each other and having an interlockingconnection allowing a'limited longitudinal movement of one of theelements with respect to the other but preventing longitudinal movementto unlocked position except in a predetermined position, and a thirdelement freely rotatable with respect to the first named elements andadapted to be turned by one of them when in different longitudinal;positions-and preventing lon-i gitudlnal movement of said lfirst namedele-{ ments to an unlocked-fpositionexcept in a,

predetermined:position. I

In a combination lock, the combination of-a'pair of Tcoa-xially disposedelements relatively rotatable with respect .toeach other and having "an;interlocking connection to preventdongitudinal moveme'nt' oftheele'ments withrespect to each other to unlocked positionexcept in apredetermined position," and a third element vmounted bea tween androtatable about the axis of the first jnamed elements and adapted to be.

turned by one of them, said third element preventing the longitudinal.movement *of.

said first named: members with respect to each other toiunlockedPOSitlOIlgllIltil turned 1 to a-predetermined position.

respect vto each other, one of the elements "be in locked ?:"position,ian'ixinterlocking com nection s between said elements. preventingtumbler'free to turn with respect'to said .1 longitudinal'movement ofthe rotating element until turned to unlocked posltiorna elenientsla'ndpreventing: unlocking :the eof until said elements have been moved to a.

predetermined position, and means on 'the rotating elements-for turnlngthe tumbler to a position inwhich a part of said element engaged by thetumbler may be, passed through; said tumbler. v

'5, In a combination lockyth'e combination of a pair of coaxiallydisposed elements, one

of the elements being free'to rotate and havmg a limited longitudlnal.movement wlth respect tolthe otherinflocked position,

an interlocking connection between saidelements preventing furtherlongitudinal movement of the rotating element until turned to unlockedposition, a; tumbler 'free to turnwith 'respe'cttozsaid elementsandprevent:

ing unlocking thereof untilsaidelements have been moved to apredeterminedposi-u tion, and'means'on the rotating element enmountedand one having relative rotary movement with respect to the other tobring the projections and grooves into line so that the movable elementmay be moved longitudinally with respect to the other element tounlocked position, a third element locking said first named elementsagainst longitudinal movement to un- I thereof with respect to'eachother to locked position, and means on the movable element forturning said third element to a position for unlocking. I

7, In a combination lock, the combination of a cylindrical casingforming a-lock element, a member fitting within said casing and forminganother look element, said elements having relative rotary movement withrespect toeach other in locked position,

Jan-interlocking connection between said eletumbler to turn it to aposition for unlocking. 7 r r v8. In a combination lock, the combinationof a cylindrical casing forming a lock element, a'member' fitting withinsaid casing and forming another look element, said elements beingconnected together to have relative rotary movement and a limitedlongitudinal movement with respect to each other in locked position anda further longitudinal movement when in a predetermined position tounlocked position, and a plurality of tumblers free to rotate betweensaid elements and normally preventing unlocking thereof, and means onone of the elements selectively engaging the tumblers to turn them to aposition for unlocking.

9. In a combination lock, the combination of a relatively fixed element,a movable element, said elements being coaxially disposed and having aninterlocking connection against unlocking except when the movableelement is turned to a predetermined position with respect to the fixedelement, locating spring fingers carried by the movable element, atumbler free to rotate between said elements and preventing unlockingthereof except when turned to a predetermined position, and means on themovable element engaging the tumbler to turn the same to a position forunlocking.

10. In a combination lock, the combination of a relatively fixedelement, a movable element, said elements being coaxially disposed andhaving'an interlocking connection against movement longitudinally to unlocked position except when the movable element isturned 'to apredetermined posi tion, a plurality of tumblers free to rotate betweensaid elements and preventing unlocking thereof except when turned to apredetermined position and provided with pins on opposite sides thereof,and pins on the movable element selectively engageable with the pins onthe tumblers to turn the same to a position. for unlocking.

11. In a combination lock, the combination of a lock element providedwith projections, an element having longitudinally extending recesses ofunequal length and spacing, said elements being rotatable with respectto each other and one of the elements being longitudinally movable vtounlocked position when certain of the grooves of the one element are inregister with the projections on the other element, and a third elementfreely rotatable with respect to the first named elements and adapted tobe turned by one of them and preventing longitudinal movement of saidelements with respect to each other to unlocked position except in apredetermined position.

12. In a combination lock, the combination of a fixed lock element, amovable lock ele ment rotatable with respect to the fixed ele ment andhaving aninterlocking connection therewith to prevent its longitudinalmovement with respect. thereto to unlocked position except in apredetermined position, a third element freely rotatable with respect tothe first named elements, and having an interlocking connection with themovable element to prevent longitudinal movement thereof to unlockedposition except in a pre determined position. a

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature, in presence of a witness.

RAYMOND WV. GRIFFITH.

Witness:

R. S. C. CALDWELL.

